These heart thumbprint cookies are the perfect sweet treat for your Valentine’s Day dessert table! They’re so adorable and a great source of healthy fats and fiber to keep you full. Serve these healthy cookies with homemade strawberry chia jam for a nutritious dessert or snack to celebrate any special occasion! {Gluten-free & vegan}
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Easy Jam Filled Heart Cookies
These heart thumbprint cookies cookies are a treat all on their own! From the nutty oat-based dough to the tart fruity jam, they’re crunchy, chewy, and full of flavor all at the same time. They’re also incredibly easy to make since the dough comes together mostly in the bowl of a food processor.
Plus, you just need a thumb to make that adorable heart shape. Your whole family will be begging for these Valentine’s Day cookies for every birthday or celebration!
Why We Love These Heart Cookies with Jam
- Quick & easy: Thanks to your trusty food processor, the nutty cookie base will come together with just a few moments of effort. After the dough is prepared, roll it into little balls, press in a heart thumbprint, and add the jam before baking. They’re so simple, and you don’t have to worry about creaming butter and sugar together at all!
- Healthy alternative: Valentine’s Day tends to be a very sugary holiday with lots of special drinks, chocolates, and sweets. These healthy jam thumbprints are a fantastic alternative as they’re a good source of healthy fats and fiber to keep you satisfied!
- Naturally gluten-free: Instead of using regular all purpose flour, this Valentine’s Day cookie recipe uses a mixture of oat flour with whole almonds, pecans, and shredded coconut. This adds a wonderful chewy texture and nutty flavor without any gluten, which is great for those with intolerances!
Ingredient Notes
- Almonds & pecans: Use raw almonds and pecans, and break them into small pieces in a food processor or high powered blender.
- Shredded coconut: This adds extra fiber and a mild coconut flavor that pairs great with the strawberry jam.
- Oat flour: Either make your own oat flour or grab a bag at the store.
- Salt: This will highlight the natural sweetness in this cookie recipe, making it easier to add less sugar.
- Peanut butter: I prefer using natural peanut butter without any hydrogenated oil or added sugar.
- Maple syrup: Always look for 100% pure maple syrup to avoid corn syrup or any additives.
- Vanilla extract: This adds an extra aroma that brings the flavors together.
- Strawberry jam: Use either homemade or store-bought jam. I recommend this homemade strawberry chia jam.
How to Make Heart Jam Cookies – Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Make the Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the pecans and almonds into a food processor or high-powered blender and pulse until they are finely ground.
- Add the shredded coconut and blend until the mixture reaches a paste-like consistency, occasionally scraping the sides with a spatula to ensure even blending.
- Transfer the paste to a medium-sized mixing bowl, then stir in the oat flour and salt, mixing until well combined. Add the peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla, stirring until a slightly sticky dough forms.
- Shape the cookie dough into 12 small balls, each approximately 1 ½ inches in diameter, and roll each one in the palm of your hand. Position the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between them.
Step 2 – Add the Heart Thumbrints
- Gently press your thumb diagonally into each ball, first on one side, then on the other. This will create the heart shape.
- For more defined hearts, you can use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter and a wooden spoon to press down in the center of each indentation. If cracks appear on the outer edges of the cookies, simply mold the dough back together around the center.
Step 3 – Fill with Jam & Bake!
- Fill the heart-shaped center of each cookie with approximately 1 teaspoon of jam, spreading it slightly to fill the shape of a heart.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until they become slightly golden brown on the bottoms. If you prefer a softer, gooey-centered cookie, 10 minutes is recommended, but you can extend the baking time for a firmer texture.
- Allow the cookies to cool for at least 20 minutes on the baking sheet before removing them. This step is extremely important for firming up the cookies, as they will be quite soft when initially taken out of the oven. Optionally, you can also add a little extra jam on top of each heart while they are still warm to make them glisten.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Recipe Tips:
- Take your time with the blender! It can take a few minutes to break down the nuts and coconut until it forms a paste. If the paste sticks to the side of the bowl, turn off the food processor and press the mixture back down. Keep blending until the mixture has a paste-like consistency.
- If the mixture is too sticky, add a little bit extra oat flour until the dough is dry enough to roll into balls. Add just a tablespoon extra at a time.
- Be patient! It’s very important to let the cookies cool completely before moving them or they may fall apart.
- Make your own oat flour by blending oats in a blender or food processor until they turn into flour.
- Start the jam early! Since you need the finished jam to add to the cookies, it’s important to make it before you need it. I prefer to use this 4-ingredient strawberry chia seed jam as it’s naturally low in sugar and much less processed than most jam recipes. You can always use your favorite homemade or storebought jam if you prefer.
- Serve them fresh! The jam will cook down in the oven, and I always like to add a little bit extra right before serving to get a nice shine.
Recipe FAQs
On a basic level, thumbprint cookies are typically made with a buttery cookie dough. You roll a ball of dough, set it on the parchment-lined cookie sheet, then press your thumb into the dough to create a little cavity. Add your favorite jam and bake! These heart thumbprints are a fun variation on this classic cookie as you form a heart shape into the cookie dough instead. They’re great for Valentine’s Day!
There are so many different thumbprint cookie recipes out there; that’s a tough question to answer! Many of them are buttery and crumbly, similar to old-fashioned shortbread cookies. You can also make them with a soft sugar cookie dough or try an alternative like this gluten-free version that is soft and chewy. They’re great either firm or soft, so just make sure you use a recipe you love!
Most of the time, you’re making heart cookies to share your love with someone, usually around Valentine’s Day or a special birthday celebration. Stick with this theme by adding jams in hues of red, pink, and purple! I love to use strawberry jam or fruit spread because of that bright red color, but raspberry preserves, grape jelly, cherry preserves also work well. Have fun with this thumbprint cookie recipe, and use whichever fruit spreads you’d like!
Storage Guidelines
Place any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the fridge for a week. For longer storage, freeze the leftover cookies in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. Add a little extra jam on top of the cookie before serving!
Serving Suggestions
These wonderful heart-shaped cookies are the perfect dessert or snack to serve on Valentine’s Day, a birthday, a bridal shower, or any time during the holiday season. They’d taste and look great served with these other lovely treats!
- Heart Shaped Strawberries
- White Chocolate Coconut Truffles
- Hot Chocolate with Cacao Powder
- Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Chocolate Covered Pecans
- Chocolate Dipped Clementines
- Valentine’s Energy Ball Bears
Recipe Variations
- Use any jam you’d like: There are no special rules here. You can use any jam or jelly you prefer! I like to stick with strawberry and raspberry jams for that classic red color.
- Form fun shapes: If you don’t want to make heart thumbprint cookies, you can use small cookie cutters or your thumb to add other shapes, like stars, trees, snowmen, and more.
- Try different nuts: Instead of pecans and almonds, feel free to try pistachios, almonds, or two other different types of nuts.
More Healthier Cookie Recipes
- Oat Flour Thumbprint Cookies
- Raw Cookies
- 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Cookies
- Lemon Almond Flour Cookies
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
- Healthy Shortbread Cookies
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Jam Heart Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons oat flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup strawberry chia jam (or use your favorite handmade or store-bought jam)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the pecans and almonds to a food processor or high power blender and blend until the nuts are finely broken down.
- Next, add in the shredded coconut. Blend together until a paste-like consistency is achieved, scraping off the sides with a spatula every once in a while to ensure that all of the mixture is blended.
- Transfer the "paste" to a medium mixing bowl and add the oat flour and salt. Mix until combined. Add in the peanut butter, maple syrup and vanilla and mix until well combined. The mixture should form a slightly sticky dough.
- Roll the mixture into 12 balls that are about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Place the balls on the lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Place your thumb on a diagonal into the center of the ball and gently press down to form one side of the heart. Then place your thumb on the opposite diagonal to form the other side of the heart. To form a more defined heart, I like to place a small heart-shaped cookie cutter over top of the heart indent and gently press down in the center with the back of a wooden spoon. This will create a more defined indent for the jam. If the outside of the cookies start to crack a bit, gently mold the mixture back together again around the cookie cutter in the center.
- Fill the centre of each cookie with about 1 teaspoon or so of jam, spreading it out slightly so that it covers the indent and forms the shape of a heart.
- Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. I prefer to bake my cookies for 10 minutes for a softer cookie and more gooey centre, but you can bake for longer if you prefer a firmer cookie.
- Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes or until completely cooled before removing from baking sheet. This step is VERY important as it allows the cookies to firm up since they’ll be very soft when they come out of the oven. I like to top the heart with a little extra jam when it comes out of the oven as I find it has a nicer presentation and makes it glisten, but this is optional.
Notes
- Take your time with the blender! It can take a few minutes to break down the nuts and coconut until it forms a paste. If the paste sticks to the side of the bowl, turn off the food processor and press the mixture back down. Keep blending until the mixture has a paste-like consistency.
- If the mixture is too sticky, add a little bit extra oat flour until the dough is dry enough to roll into balls. Add just a tablespoon extra at a time.
- Be patient! It’s very important to let the cookies cool completely before moving them or they may fall apart.
- Make your own oat flour by blending oats in a blender or food processor until they turn into flour.
- For more vibrant color: The jam will cook down in the oven. I always like to add a little bit extra right before serving to get a nice shine.
Nutrition
Inspired by these Heart Cookies with Jam
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